System and method for creation of automated content dependent procedures in an online environment

Abstract

There is provided a system and method for creating automated content dependent procedures in an online environment, wherein the user will be able to create graphical objects representing a collection of operations and desired online services, wherein both the editing operations and desired online services are associated with a specific type file, preferably a file type of a data file. The process is based on selection of a file type by the user and is illustrated to the user by a graphical user interface containing the content dependent information. With this approach the user will be able to create automated procedures for processing of computer file types.

1 . A method of automating a transaction with a website, wherein are provided a plurality of service websites accessible via the Internet, each of said service websites having a protocol associated therewith, and each of said service websites accepting at least one digital file type via the Internet and acting thereon, comprising the steps of:
 (a) establishing a network connection between a computer and a remote server, said remote server at least for hosting a web desktop;   (b) displaying said web desktop on a display device, said display device being in electronic communication with said computer;   (c) selecting a computer file type;   (d) determining at least one operation applicable to said computer file type;   (e) choosing at least one operation from said at least one operation applicable to said computer file type;   (f) using at least said computer file type to choose a service website, wherein said chosen service website can perform at least said chosen at least one operation;   (g) choosing a service website;   (h) obtaining a chosen protocol for said chosen service website;   (i) storing on a computer readable medium a representation of said selected computer file type, a representation of said chosen at least one operation, a representation of said chosen service website, and a representation of said chosen protocol for said chosen service website, thereby storing a content dependent procedure;   (j) storing on said web desktop an automation icon representative of said stored content dependent procedure, thereby automating a transaction with said chosen service website; and,   (k) displaying on said display device said web desktop and said automation icon.   
   
   
       2 . A method of automating a transaction with a website according to  claim 1 , wherein step (c) comprises the steps of:
 (c1) selecting a first computer file, and,   (c2) determining a file type of said first computer file, thereby selecting a computer file type.   
   
   
       3 . A method of automating a transaction with a website according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 (l) selecting a second computer file, wherein said second computer file has a same file type as said computer file type;   (m) establishing a network connection with said chosen service website; and,   (n) using said automation icon together with said second computer file to activate said stored content dependent procedure, thereby using said protocol with said chosen service website to perform said chosen at least one operation on said second computer file.   
   
   
       4 . A method of automating a transaction with a website according to  claim 3 , wherein step (n) comprises the step of:
 (n1) selecting an icon representative of said second computer file,   (n2) within said web desktop, dragging said icon representative of said second computer file proximate to said automation icon,   (n3) dropping said icon representative of said second computer file on said automation icon, thereby activating said stored content dependent procedure and using said protocol with said chosen service website to perform said chosen at least one operation on said second computer file.   
   
   
       5 . A method of automating a transaction with a remote website according to  claim 1 , wherein said computer file type is selected from a group consisting of a graphic file type, a video file type, an audio file type, a word processing file type, and a spreadsheet file type. 
   
   
       6 . A method of automating a transaction with a remote website according to  claim 5 , wherein said computer file type is said graphic file type and wherein said chosen at least one operation of step (e) is selected from a group consisting of a resolution change operation, a resize operation, an auto contrast operation, an auto red eye removal operation, and an auto color operation. 
   
   
       7 . A method of automating a transaction with a remote website according to  claim 1 , wherein said chosen protocol for said chosen website comprises a login name, a password, and a menu structure of said chosen website. 
   
   
       8 . A method of automating a transaction with a remote website according to  claim 1 , wherein step (i) comprises the step of:
 (i1) storing on said remote server a representation of said selected computer file type, a representation of said chosen at least one operation, a representation of said chosen service website, and a representation of said chosen protocol for said chosen service website, thereby storing a content dependent procedure; and,   
   
   
       9 . A method of automating a transaction with a plurality of websites, wherein are provided a plurality of service websites accessible via the Internet, each of said service websites having a protocol associated therewith, and each of said service websites accepting at least one digital file type via the Internet and acting thereon, comprising the steps of:
 (a) establishing a first network connection between a computer and a remote server, said remote server at least for hosting a web desktop;   (b) displaying said web desktop on a display device, said display device being in electronic communication with said computer;   (c) selecting a computer file type;   (d) determining at least one operation applicable to said computer file type;   (e) choosing at least one operation from said at least one operation applicable to said computer file type;   (f) using at least said computer file type to select a plurality of service websites, wherein each of said selected plurality of websites can at least perform said chosen at least one operation;   (g) choosing a plurality of service websites from among said selected plurality of service websites;   (h) obtaining a chosen protocol for each of said chosen plurality of service websites;   (i) storing on a computer readable medium a representation of said selected computer file type, a representation of said chosen at least one operation, a representation of said chosen plurality of service websites, and a representation of said chosen protocol for each of said chosen plurality of service websites, thereby storing a content dependent procedure; and,   (j) storing on said web desktop an automation icon representative of said stored content dependent procedure, thereby automating a transaction with said chosen service website; and,   (k) displaying said automation icon and said web desktop on said display device.   
   
   
       10 . A method of automating a transaction with a website according to  claim 9 , wherein step (c) comprises the steps of:
 (c1) selecting a first computer file, and,   (c2) determining a file type of said first computer file, thereby selecting a computer file type.   
   
   
       11 . A method of automating a transaction with a website according to  claim 9 , further comprising the step of:
 (l) selecting a second computer file, wherein said second computer file has a same file type as said computer file type;   (m) establishing a network connection with said chosen service website; and,   (n) using said automation icon together with said second computer file to activate said stored content dependent procedure, thereby using said chosen protocol for each of said chosen plurality of service websites to perform said chosen at least one operation on said second computer file.   
   
   
       12 . A method of automating a transaction with a website according to  claim 11 , wherein step (n) comprises the step of:
 (n1) selecting an icon representative of said second computer file,   (n2) within said desktop, dragging said icon representative of said second computer file proximate to said automation icon,   (n3) dropping said icon representative of said second computer file on said automation icon, thereby activating said stored content dependent procedure, and thereby using said chosen protocol for each of said chosen plurality of service websites to perform said chosen at least one operation on said second computer file.   
   
   
       13 . A method of automating a transaction with a remote website according to  claim 9 , wherein said computer file type is selected from a group consisting of a graphic file type, a video file type, an audio file type, a word processing file type, and a spreadsheet file type. 
   
   
       14 . A method of automating a transaction with a remote website according to  claim 13 , wherein said computer file type is said graphic file type and wherein chosen at least one operation of step (e) is selected from a group consisting of a resolution change operation, a resize operation, an auto contrast operation, an auto red eye removal operation, and an auto color operation. 
   
   
       15 . A method of automating a transaction with a remote website according to  claim 9 , wherein said chosen protocol for said chosen website comprises a login name, a password, a menu structure of said chosen website. 
   
   
       16 . A method of creating automated procedures for publication of multimedia data over the Internet, comprising the steps of:
 (a) establishing a network connection between a computer and a remote server, said remote server at least for hosting a web desktop;   (b) displaying said web desktop on a first display device, said display device being in electronic communication with said computer;   (c) selecting a computer file;   (d) determining a type of said computer file, thereby determining a computer file type;   (e) determining at least one operation applicable to said computer file type;   (f) choosing at least one operation from said at least one operation applicable to said computer file type;   (g) using at least said computer file type to select one or more of said plurality of service websites, wherein each of said selected one or more of said service websites can at least perform said chosen at least one operation;   (h) presenting said selected one or more service websites to a user using said display device;   (i) allowing a user to choose at least one of said at least one presented selected one or more service websites, thereby obtaining at least one chosen service website;   (j) obtaining a chosen protocol for each of said chosen at least one service website;   (k) storing on a computer readable medium a representation of said selected computer file type, a representation of said chosen at least one operation, a representation of said chosen at least one service website, and a representation of said chosen protocol for each of said chosen at least one service websites, thereby storing a content dependent procedure;   (l) placing on said desktop an automation icon representative of said stored content dependent procedure; and,   (m) displaying on said first display device said placed automation icon.